The Detroit Lions have made the short trip south to Indianapolis to take on the Colts and will try to extend their win streak to nine games. Indianapolis is very much in the race in the AFC South and in the AFC playoff picture.
Here are five things to watch out for in today's interconference matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium:
1. Make Anthony Richardson a pocket passer
The Colts' second-year quarterback is coming off a good performance in a win over the Jets last week in his first game back from being benched. Can he stack two good performances in a row? That's the kind of consistency the Colts are looking for from their young signal caller.
Richardson is a big, physical quarterback who is at his best when outside the pocket and extending plays with his legs. Can the Lions' defense keep him in the pocket and make him beat them with his arm? He's completing 48 percent of his passes this season with five touchdowns and seven interceptions.
2. Defensive production
After losing defensive starters Aidan Hutchinson, Derrick Barnes and Marcus Davenport to injury already this season, Detroit's defense was dealt another blow with WILL linebacker Alex Anzalone now out 6-8 weeks with a broken forearm suffered last week against the Jaguars.
The Lions will rely heavily on linebackers Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez to fill the void. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said this week he's got a ton of confidence in Rodriguez and everyone else in that linebacker room.
"Well, that's what I've been talking about each week in that linebacker room, and I continue to say that, that all those guys have played, all those guys deserve to play, and each week we try to put them in packages so they can play," Glenn said. "So, if one guy goes down in that room, listen, the next guy's going to step up."
3. Let Sonic & Knuckles go to work
The Lions are the top scoring offense in football because they are the most versatile offense in football with the ability to beat teams both on the ground and through the air. Both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have over 800 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on the season. In games where they both score a touchdown, the Lions are 9-0.
Establishing the run first and foremost makes this offense nearly unstoppable because it unlocks quarterback Jared Goff and the play-action pass game. Goff leads the NFL with 1,218 passing yards on play action with nine touchdowns.
4. St. Brown streak
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had 11 receptions for a career-high 161 yards and two touchdowns last week and has a touchdown reception in eight consecutive games.
With a touchdown reception in Indianapolis, St. Brown can tie Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (nine games in 1963) and A.J. Green (nine in 2012) for the third longest such streak all-time in a single season, trailing only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (12 in 1987) and Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch (10 in 1951).
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) and Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (91) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp and Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Ben Niemann (51) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Brodric Martin (96) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) and Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on November 21, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
5. Za'Darius Smith encore
The veteran edge rusher played 37 snaps in his Lions debut last week or 77 percent of the defensive snaps. Glenn plans to play Smith even more snaps today as he's settling into the defense and getting comfortable with the players around him.
"We're excited to get his count up and see what he's actually going to do as far as a true edge defender for us this week," Glenn said.
Glenn plans to use him as a matchup piece upfront playing the edge but also moving him inside playing anywhere from over the center to the three technique. How much more impact will Smith have in his second game with the Lions?
